R-E-S-P-E-C-T

I recently had the extreme displeasure of telling a teenage boy I do not know, to shut his mouth.

I was attending a High School Varsity soccer game.We were the visiting team. A large group of kids from our school were directly behind me in the stands, along with some of our JV team.As the game progressed the group – which now included some young adults – grew louder and louder, inappropriately so.I started cringing a little each time they disliked a play, a call or a non-call.The final straw came when a young man from our JV team, standing two rows behind me, yelled “Hey Ref, F* OFF!”

Actually he yelled it twice before I recovered and turned around to scold him.

I put on my very angry/disappointed mom face and said, “Hey, hey we don’t say that, we don’t talk like that.”

He would not make eye contact with me.I turned back around.Inside I was shaking.I do not enjoy confrontation. I did not want to be the one to say something.No one around me even acknowledged it, any of it.

But it needed to be said. It needed to be done.Although I did not know it at the time, this was me loving this kid – tough love but love none the less.

I was pissed. Pissed about what he said. Pissed I had to scold him.Pissed no one else said anything.Pissed at the blatant lack of respect. For the officials. For the spectators. For himself.

What do you think? What does this stem from?What can we do about it?

I went from super angry to just angry to fretting over it to rehashing it in my head to sad.

Sad a teenage boy apparently thought it was perfectly okay to shout the F word directly at someone and not be concerned about the consequences.

Proverbs 22:6 (MSG) 6 Point your kids in the right direction— when they’re old they won’t be lost.

Are we guiding our youth? Are we loving them enough? What are our expectations as a society?

Obviously this situation truly grieved me.

So you know me – I prayed. Prayed for a teachable spirit for him & more understanding for me.

I’m not trying to be flippant. I’m not delusional enough to suggest that my kids are perfect because I am a perfect parent, far, far from it. This is not about thinking I’m better. It’s about thinking we can all be better.Give more to each other. Do more for each other. It is about loving ourselves and others.About choosing to be respectful.

1 Thessalonians 3:12a (AMP) 12a And may the Lord make you to increase and excel and overflow in love for one another and for all people.

It’s about living together instead of in strife.It’s about not shouting profanities – pretty much ever.

Colossians 3:14(NCV)

But most important, love each other. Love is what holds you all together in perfect unity.

Ultimately we all representing each other – right? Whether we like it or not.